Vehicle frame suspension and shock-absorber.



C. SIMON.

VEHICLE FRAME SUSPENSION AND.SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATION FILED 0150.29, 1914.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915.

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VEHICLE FRAME SUSPENSION AND SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLICATlON FILED DEC.29. I914.

Patented Dec. 7, 1915,

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CHARLES SIMON, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VEHICLE FRAME SUSFEITSION AND SHOCK-AIBSOBBER Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Dec. 'i, 1915.

Application filed December 29, 1914. Serial No. 879,485.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES SIMON, a

' citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the countyof Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedVehicle Frame Suspension and Shock-Absorber, of which the following. isa full, clear, and exact description.

' My invention relates to vehicle-frame suspensions and has referencemore particularly to means associated with the elliptical spring of thevehicle to serve as a shock absorber for the vehicle.

The invention is characterized by the provision of interpivoted leverspositioned intermediate one end of the elliptical spring and the frame,the interpivoted levers permitting to the said end of the spring a freelimited movement relative to the frame 0 attachment proper is applicabledirectly between one end of the spring and the frame of the vehiclewithout any alteration to any part of the vehicle.

With the above and other objects in view,

the nature of which will more fully appear as the description proceeds,the invention consists in the novel construction, combination andarrangement of parts as herein fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the application, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views,and Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vehicle frame provided with anembodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 shows the displacement of the springand levers assoclated therewith under a sudden shock or olt; Fig. 3 is asection-on line 3-3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a modified structure of theframe-suspension in the rear of the vehicleyhig 5 is a further modifiedstructure thereof; Fig. 6 is a modified structure of the suspension ofthe front of the frame of the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings, 7 represents the chassis or frame of thevehicle body which is provided with front and rear elliptical springs 8and 9 respectively. Each of the front springs 8 has one end thereofpivotally connected to the front end of the chassis, with its centralpart on the front running-gear axle 10. The other end of the springs 8carry a pin 11, each end of-which pin projects through a slot 12provided in abell-crank-shaped arm 13 attached at one end thereof by abolt 1% to the chassis 7.-

The pair of arms 13 for each spring 8 has the other end of the armslying outside of the spring and connected by a spacer 15. This spacer 15forms a pivot for one end of levers 16. which are substantiallyunyieldable,the other end of said levers 16 projecting above theelliptical spring 8 adjacent the bearing thereof on the axle 10. Thelevers 16 also engage the pin 11 carried by the spring end 8. The endsof the levers 16 at the spring'are connected by a pin 17 located on theupper surface of the elliptical spring. They also carry a roller 18 incontact with the lower surface of the elliptical spring. This pin androller tie the said end of the lever 16to the spring adjacent itsbearing. The slot 12 in each of the arms 13 is arcuated and has-for itscenter the axis of the spacer 15 which forms the fulcrum of the lever16, as will be pointed out hereinafter.

Each of the rear springs 9 has one end thereof pivotally connected tothe chassis 7,

while the middle thereof bears on the rear running-gear. axle 19. Theother end of the said spring 9 has a pin 20 the ends of which arecarried by a-pair of arms 21, each of which arms has a slot 22 engagedby a pin 23 carried by the end of a spring 2 1.com nected to the rear ofthe chassis 7. Each end of the pin 23 engages one end of a substantiallyunyieldable lever 25, the other end of which lever is pivotallyconnected by a bolt 26 to the spring 9 adjacent the rear axle 19. Eachpair of arms 21 is pivotally con-' nected to the levers 25 by a bolt 27and the axis of said bolt 27 is the center of curvature of the slot 22in which the pin 23 is mounted to slide. The bolt 27 is the floatingfulcrum of the levers 25, while the spacer 15 is the floating fulcrumfor the levers 16 for the front spring. I

When the wheels of the rear axle 19 meet an obstacle, the chassis andaxle will move toward each other, causing a parting between the pin 20of the rear spring and the The increase in pin 23 engaged in the slot.distance between the two pins will be proportionate to the shockreceived. the bolt 27 constituting a fulcrum for the levers as the endconnected to the spring at the axle 19 moves toward the chassis and theend of That is to say, the levers 16 will fulcrum on the lever connectedto the pin 23 moves with the chassis. The displacement under the load isshown in Fig. 2. The length of the slots 22 in the arms21 is such thatwhen the pin 23 reaches the end of the slot the bumper provided on theaxle will contact with the chassis. It'may be remarked that thebolt 27which forms the fulcrum of the levers 25 floats as the distance betweenthe pins 20 and 23 is varied.

When the front wheels of the'vehicle meet an obstacle the front axle andchassis will move toward one another; consequently,

while the armsl3 move toward the end of the spring the ends of thespring with the end oflevers 16 connected to the spring at the axle willmove toward the chassis.

the spacer 15 and, consequently, the pin 11 will move with the spring inthe slot toward the chassis (see Fig. 2). In the front, as in r the rearsprings, one end thereof has a free .movement relative to the chassislimited .only by the slots 12 in the front and the slots 22 in the rearof the chassis.

In Fig. ,4 a modified structure of the rear suspension of the frame isshown. In this case substantially 'unyieldable levers 28 are attached tothe rear springs9, similar to the levers 16 shown in the frontsuspension in Fig. 1. The pin 20 which is carried by the levels 28passes through slots 29 provided in bell-crank arms 30; the other endofarms 30 is pivotally connected to the end of the levers 28 by a spacer31 forming the floating fulcrum for the levers 28. The spring 24isconnected to the bell-crank arms by a pin 32 at anysuitable place,preferably near the elbow. It will be noted that in this case when therear axle 19 moves toward the chassis 7' under some cause the ends ofthe levers28- attached to the spring will move therewith on the fulcrum31, while the bellcrank arms will tend to turn on the fulcrum; thus thepin 20 of the spring will move in the slot and the two pins 20 and32will part proportionately to the relative movement of the :chassis andthe axle 19'.

Again, the pin 20 will move in an arc, the

center of which is the axis of the spacer 31. y In Fig. 5' the spring 9has its pin 20 connectedto the chassis by levers 33, While the spring24: has its end connected to one end of arms 34, the other end ofwhicharms engages the elliptical spring 9 adjacent its bearing on the rearaxle 19". The levers 33 and 34 are substantially unyieldable and areinterconnected by links 35 engaging the bolt 36 connecting the links 35in which the bolt 36 connecting the links 35 to the levers 34 is thefloating fulcrum for said levers 34, while the bolt 3'? connecting saidlinks 35 to the levers 33 is the floating fulcrum for the levers 33; andwhen the rear axle 19'. and the chassis 7 are caused to move toward saidend "of the chassis.

they are .pivotally connected by spacers 15 to, links 39 which are 'inturn pivotally connected to the chassis 7 As the front axle 10-, and thechassis 7 are by some causev moved toward one another, the spacer 15,-with the ends of the levers 38 attached thereto, will ove with thechassis, while the other end dtf the levers 38 will move with the axle10 toward the chassis. Thus, the pin 11' will move toward the chassis,and its movement will be proportionate to the relative displacement ofthe chassis and front axle and limited by the distance of said pin '11from the bottom of the chassis or by the engagement of the chassis withthe bumper providedon the axle.

The details of the structure disclosed in Fig. 6' forms the subjectmatter of a different application, although the said structure isbroadly covered in the present application.

From the above description it will be seen that each of the front andrear springs of the-suspension has an end having a limited free movementrelative to the chassis, this limited free movement of the spring beingcontrolled by pivotally connected substantially unyieldable leversinterposed between In place of the spring 24a rigid connection can bemade from the chassis to the pin 23.

The advantage of the construction and operation of the suspension willbe readily understood by those skilled in the art, to which theinvention pertains; and while I have described the principle ofoperation, together with the device, which I now consider to be the bestembodiment thereof, I

desire to have it understood that the construction shown is merelyillustrative and that such changes may be made as are Within the scopeof the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1'. In a shock absorber for vehicles, a slotted arm, a lever pivotallyconnected to the arm, means on the lever engaging the slot of the arm,said armand lever having means 7 for securing the lever and arm to thespring and frame of the vehicle so that the pivotal connection of thelever and arm is exterior of the spring. a

2. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, ellipticalsprings eachhaving one end thereof in pivotal engagement with the frameand bearing on the running gear between its ends, and a pair ofpivotally connected and interengaging levers between the other end ofeach: spring and the frame, the pivotal connection of said leversforming a floating fulcrum, oneof said levers engaging the springadjacent I its bearing on'the gear. I

3. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, ellipticalsprings each having one end thereof in pivotal engagement with the frameand bearing on the runnin" gear between its ends, a pair of pivotal yconnected and interengaging levers for the other end'of each spring, oneof said levers being pivotally connected to said with. the other end ofthe spring and the frame, and a substantially unyieldable leverpivotally connected to the said arm and engaging the spring at itsbearing on the running gear, said lever having means engaging the slotof the arm.

5. In combination with a. vehicle frame and running gear, an ellipticalspring pivotally engaging the frame at one end and bearing on therunning gear intermediate its ends, an arm pivotally-connecte'd to theother end of the spring, a substantially unyield able lever in pivotalconnection with the said arm and said spring adjacent the bearing of thespring, said arm having a slot,

said lever having means engaged in the slot, said means being connectedto the frame.

1 6. 'In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, anelliptical spring pivotally engagingthe frame at one end and bearing onthe running gear intermediate its ends, a slotted arm pivotallyconnected to the other end of said spring, a substantially unyieldablelever pivotally connected to said arm and having means at one endthereof engaging the slot' of the arm, the other end of said lever beingconnected to the springat its bearing, and means connecting the frame tothe end of the lever engaged in the slot.-

7. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, an ellipticalspring pivotally engaging the frame at one end and bearing on therunning gear intermediate its end, a slotted arm pivotally secured tothe other end of the spring, a substantially unyieldable lever inpivotal connection wit said arm having one end thereof engaging ing'theframe to the end of the lever engaging the slot. 7

8. In combination With a vehicle frame and running gear, an ellipticalspring piv-- I otally engaging the frame at one end and bearing on therunning gear intermediate its ends, a T-shaped arm pivotally connectedto the other end of said spring with one of its shoulders, said T-shapedend having a 'slot extending from the other end of the shoulder towardthe pivoted shoulder, a lever pivotally connected to said T-shaped armat the base thereof, one end of said lever being pivotally connected tothe spring at itsbear-.

ing, a pin in the other end of ,said lever engaging the slot, the slotin the arm being arcuated and having for its center the axis of thepivotal connection between the lever and the arm, and a resilient memberfrom the frame to the in.

9. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, ellipticalsprings each having one end thereof in pivotal engagement with the frameand bearing on the running gear between its ends, a slotted armconnecting the other end of the spring with the frame, and a lever inpivotal engagement with said arm and said spring ad acent its bearing,said lever having means engaging the slot of thearm, said slot beingarcuated and having for its center of curvature the axis of'the pivotalconnection between the arm and the lever.

10. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, anelliptical'spring pivotally' engagingthe frame at one end and bearin onthe running gear intermediate its en s, a slotted arm associated withthe other end of the spring, a substantially unyieldable lever in ivotalconnection with the arm and engagmg the spring adjacent its bearing,said arm having a pin engaging the slot, and resilient means connectingthe frame to the pin, the pivotal connection of the arm and leverforming a floating fulcrum on which the lever and arm move when therunning gear and frame move toward one another.

11. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, ellipticalsprings each having one end thereof in pivotal engagement with the frameand bearing on the running gear between its ends, and a pair ofpivotally connected levers between the other end of each spring and theframe, the pivotal connection of said lei'ers being exterior I to thespring, one of said levers being con- Edd ning gear between its ends,and a pair of pivotally connected levers between the other end of eachspring and the frame, one of said levers engaging the spring adjacentits bearing on the gear, said lever 'not being connected directly to theframe.

v 13. In combination with a vehicle frame and running gear, ellipticalsprings each having one end thereof in pivotal engagement with the frameand bearing on the running gear between its ends, and a pair ofpivotally connected levers between the other end of each spring and theframe, the pivotal connection of said levers being exterior of thespring to form a floating fulcrum on the gear, said lever not beingconnected directly to the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

CHARLES SIMON.

Witnesses:

B. Jorrn, PHILIP D. ROLLHAUS.

